Taplow Court facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taplow Court |
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| Type | House |
| Location | Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Built | 1855 with earlier origins |
| Architect | William Burn |
| Architectural style(s) | Tudorbethan |
| Governing body | Soka Gakkai International |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Taplow Court | |
| Designated | 26 April 1985 |
| Reference no. | 1165286 |
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Taplow Court is a large Victorian house located in the village of Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. It started as an Elizabethan manor house, which was updated in the early 1600s.
For a long time in the 1700s, the Earls of Orkney owned the court. In the 1850s, Charles Pascoe Grenfell bought it. His family kept the house until after World War II.
Later, Taplow Court was used as an office for big companies like BT and Plessey Electronics. In 1988, a Buddhist group called Soka Gakkai International bought it. Today, it is their main office in the UK.
Taplow Court is a special building called a Grade II listed building. This means it is important and protected. Its current look comes from a big rebuilding project by William Burn between 1855 and 1860. In the early 1900s, William Grenfell and his wife Ettie lived here. Ettie was famous for hosting parties during the Edwardian era. Taplow Court became a meeting place for "The Souls," a group of smart and important people.
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The History of Taplow Court
The story of Taplow Court is quite interesting and a bit complex. It began as an Elizabethan manor house. This house was rebuilt after 1616 by Sir Henry Guildford. For many years in the 1700s and early 1800s, the Earls of Orkney owned the court. They also owned the nearby Cliveden estate.
The Grenfell Family at Taplow Court
In 1852, Charles Pascoe Grenfell bought Taplow Court. It then became the home of the Grenfell family. His grandson, William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough, inherited the house in 1867. William's wife, Ettie, was very important to the house's social life.
Ettie was known as a brilliant hostess. She often welcomed a group of important people called "the Souls" to the house. Many famous visitors came to Taplow Court. These included actors like Henry Irving and writers like Vita Sackville-West, Edith Wharton, and Oscar Wilde. Even Edward VII, when he was the Prince of Wales, visited. Other guests included Winston Churchill and H. G. Wells.
Taplow Court During Wartime
During World War I, the Grenfell family faced great sadness. They lost two of their three sons in the war. Julian Grenfell died in May 1915, and his brother Billy died in July of the same year. This was a very difficult time for the family.
Later Owners of Taplow Court
In 1913, Rodman Wanamaker, a wealthy American department store owner, rented Taplow Court. After World War II, the house was owned by British Telecommunications Research. This company was part of Plessey Electronics. They owned it until 1988. That year, Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist organization, bought the house. It has been a Buddhist center ever since.
What Taplow Court Looks Like
The building you see today mostly comes from William Burn's work between 1855 and 1860. Historic England describes the outside of the court as "early Tudor" style. The inside, however, has a "Romanesque" style.
The house is made of red brick and has four floors with slate roofs. It is a Grade II listed building, meaning it is historically important. Inside, there is a tall hall that covers the original Elizabethan inner courtyard. This part was done for Lord Orkney.
Soka Gakkai International has done a "beautiful" job restoring the house. The gardens around the house are also special. They are listed as Grade II on the Parks and Gardens Register.
